You know how sometimes you can’t remember what you had for dinner last night or what your spouse told you they had going today? Then again, some things stick with you for life. I remember years and years ago a pastor at Faith Center at the time, Ted Roberts told me, “Life is daily.” I don’t even remember what in the conversation prompted that comment or why it was profound enough to stick with me all this time. Most likely because it is true. We have hard days and good days; we have confusion and “aha” moments; we have deep sorrow and unbelievable joy. And frankly, everything in between. Time marches on.
I think faith and prayer are also daily.
Sometimes I pray and immediately that prayer is answered and I know it was the Lord. Sometimes it is not so immediate, but I do see God working and over a short period of time, I experience what I believe is God's answer. The answer is not always, “Yes and Amen!” But at the same time His answers bring provision and great blessing…even if they take longer then what I was hoping for :-)
One day I was praying and the Lord brought to mind an image of a landscape of hard packed soil. Have you ever tried to start a garden in hard packed soil? Packed earth can be solid as rock especially if it has continuously been walked on and packed down over a long time with little water. Even with a shovel, a hoe or a pick axe, it takes time and backbreaking work to break it up so that something can be planted in it. Sometimes you have to call in the big equipment and healthy replacement soil.
Some areas of our lives and the lives of others are like this. Hard packed hurts, trauma or areas of sin are not conquered overnight. Coping mechanisms that humans adopt to help them along in life’s seasons are not always healthy and can get so reinforced by habit that we don’t even realise that we are still using them long after the circumstance that prompted them has passed.
It is not uncommon for me to get mad at myself if I struggle with the same issue over and over again. Sometimes I get frustrated or mad at God if prayers seem to go unanswered… and time marches on. I think the Lord shared the packed earth image with me to remind me that there is a lot going on in my life and the life of others that I don’t recognize. Maybe the soil is packed in hard! Perhaps there is soil being tilled, watering going on, or new soil being brought in, before the ground can be productive and healthy again and God can even consider planting something in it. It doesn’t happen overnight. It might require rain, digging, worms, seasons of rest and who knows what to make this part of life healthy again.
Not that this answers all my questions about prayer, but I think it is something worth considering if we are frustrated with ourselves or God. There is so much more to life and to God then we can take in. It is just possible that something that we pray for and are sure we have the best answer for…we don’t. If I consider prayer to be talking with the Lord, then it is about getting to know Him or Her better as well as and even more so than ‘getting what I want’. When I am confused by something I thought I knew about God, instead of panicking, I like to look at it as an opportunity to get to know Him better. Prayer and listening open the door for that.
Pastor Aaron reminded us this last Sunday that Jesus’ love isn’t something that we receive once and done. We get to be open to receiving it again and again. Hopefully daily and moment by moment!
A side note:
I want to leave you with another practice that I feel the Lord has invited me to in a season when the world seems to offer so many things to discourage us. If something happens that gives you joy, take a moment (or 5) to soak in it. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. More likely it may be small and easily overlooked. What started it for me was a friend giving me a little yarn pumpkin she made with a stick of cinnamon for its stem. It smelled sooo goood! So I took some time to delight in the aroma. It could be lingering in a warm shower an extra 5 minutes or walking your dog in the sunshine, or curling up with a cat in your lap or so many different things. Cr-p happens. But so do incredible life moments! Less than pleasant moments in life seem to scream at us. Invite the moments of JOY to SING!
John 16:32-33 NKJV
Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Philippians 4:4-9 NKJV
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV
The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
About the Author
Darla is a creative at heart, and a communicator by nature and trade. It is her goal in life to love God and love people at which she has varying degrees of success. The Lord has gifted her with an amazing husband and partner in life who is a source of great support and encouragement. She is grateful for her family and her church.